With the issue of public education now in the national spotlight, the career of Alvin Silverman, who recently announced his retirement from the Roslyn Board of Education, takes on special significance. I cannot help feeling that if there were more Alvin Silvermans serving on boards across the country, the public schools of America might not now be under such harsh scrutiny.

Beyond the burdensome day-to-day detail his position inevitably entailed, he maintained an overall vision of what quality education should be and how it could be achieved - with equal access for all. Every parent and grandparent of every child enrolled in our school district over the last three decades owes a personal debt to Alvin. As one of those parents, on their behalf I thank him.